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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · key · pit · ball · game · ruler · rule · mouse

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — government
  15. game — a match
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rule — a law
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — a container
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. key — in music
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com